Seattle University
by sivelswedding2013
Summary: Meredith Grey is a new student in the Journalism department of Seattle University. When she lands in one of Professor Derek Shepherds esteemed classes she's shocked to find out they've already met. Completely AU.
1. God Save Us College Kids

Meredith Gray was a junior; but she felt like a freshman. She did her first two years at NSCC before transferring to Seattle U. She grew up middle class and was getting as much financial aid as she could muster. After her mom left her when she was 5 her Dad fell apart. It took him years to pull himself back together and by that time Meredith was left with a poor taste in her mouth. She pitied him but didn't respect him.

She had a sharp mind. She had always been an excellent student. She poured herself into her work and didn't leave time for much else. She was often alone but didn't really feel lonely. She was so used to it by now.

But, her long time mentor, Richard Webber, had encouraged her to find roommates when she got here. He told her he wouldn't let her become a hermit. Richard had given her an internship at the local paper right out of high school. He was the editor and they hit it off right away. People questioned their relationship but it was never sexual. He was the parent she had always wanted. Smart, driven, ambitious, funny. She had learned so much from him in the few years they'd known each other.

She pulled the scribbled down address out of her jeans pocket. There were "Roommates Wanted" posters all over campus and she just happened to choose this one. It was one of the few places that was a house and not an apartment. She walked to the front steps and knocked nervously.

"What if I move in with psychopaths?" Meredith had hissed while nursing her tequila.

"Then it'll make for a great front page story." Richard quipped back at her.

"I hate you." She laughed.

"No, you don't."

"No I don't."

"You'll be fine Meredith."

She paused and let out a slow sigh. "How do you know?"

"Because I do."

The door swung open and she was greeted by a tiny Asian woman. "Are you Meredith Gray?" she asked, getting right to the point.

"Last time I checked."

"Funny. Come on in. I'm Christina Yang."

Meredith followed her into a foyer. The house was old but beautiful.

"There are 5 bedrooms; 2 full baths. Over here is the kitchen though honestly I can't tell you how well things work in here because I am a terrible cook."

Meredith laughed and followed Christina through the house. It wasn't the nicest place she had ever been but she liked it. It had character.

"There are two other people live here already besides me. Their names are Alex Karev and Callie Torres. They are pretty good roomates. Callies a little neurotic but you'll get used to it."

Meredith stopped in her tracks. "Does that mean you're offering me a room here?"

Christina shrugged. "Yeah, if you want it. You're the only normal person who's come to check it out so far out of like 10 people. This is my dead Grandma's house so I don't want any freaks living here. You don't seem like a freak. Not outwardly anyway."

Meredith laughed. "Well, I don't think I'm a freak."

"Good. Do you need help moving in?"

Meredith dragged the last of her bags into the room Christina showed her when she saw someone appear in her doorway.

"You're the new chick?"

"Um. Yeah, I'm Meredith."

"Alex. What's your Major?"

"Journalism."

Alex smirked. "No way. Me too. Are you in any of Shepherds classes?"

Meredith fumbled through her schedule and cleared her throat. "Um, yeah. Looks like I have him for Digital Storytelling."

"Me too. Don't tell anyone because it'll blow my 'I don't give a crap' persona but I'm actually looking forward to that class. It seems like one that won't suck as much as the others. Plus, most people wait forever to get into one of Shepherds classes."

"Really? Why?"

Alex furrowed his eye brows. "Are you for real? You've never heard of Derek Shepherd?"

Meredith tried to rack her brain and came up empty. "Um, no. Should I have?"

Alex laughed and called down the hallway. "Hey, Callie come here. Newbie has never heard of Derek Shepherd before."

A new face appeared in Meredith's doorway. "Seriously? How have you never heard of Professor McDreamy?"

Alex gagged and Meredith laughed. "Please tell me he doesn't call himself that."

"No, only every female in the student body. Trust me. You'll see what I mean when you meet him. Just try not to drool on your notes."

"I'm sure I'll be fine. I've seen good looking men before."

"Not like this." Callie said with a smirk. Alex gagged again. "Cmon Grey. If you're late to his class he's going to be professor McPissed."

Meredith, Alex, Christina, and Callie carpooled to campus. They all had classes around the same time.

"Newbie's never heard of McDreamy." Alex said from the front seat.

"Seriously?" Christina, who was at the wheel of her barely surviving SUV asked.

"Yep." Meredith said with a sigh.

"He's hot. Not my type, but hot."

"What's your type?"

"Geezers." Alex interjected with made Callie cackle and Christina back hand him without blinking.

"Shut up trailer park. At least I've never slept with someone who had an STD."

"That was once."

"I'm pretty sure once is too many times…" Meredith offered up.

Christina and Callie both laughed. "I like her. I think we'll keep you Newbie."

Meredith and Alex got situated in their seats. Meredith started to through her university emails when she heard his voice.

"Welcome everyone. I'm professor Shepherd and this is Digital Storytelling. Why don't we go around the room and introduce yourselves. Were going to spend a semester together and I'd rather not just say 'Hey you' or mispronounce your name everytime. There are enough professors like that."

Everyone laughed. They'd all experienced it.

Meredith felt her face flush and she tried to sink into her seat. How could this be happening? There were close to 700,000 people in Seattle and he's her professor?

Alex gave her a look but she ignored him. She tried to look anywhere but at him. Or those eyes. God, those eyes.

When it finally came to her turn she was hoping if she stayed silent long enough. Alex would just start talking. No dice. Instead her just elbowed her in the rib cage and she glared at him.

After a minute she stood up and cleared her throat. "Hi." She said.

Derek looked up and caught her gaze. He couldn't help but smile. "Hi."

Meredith pulled her eyes away and tried not to think about the fact that she'd seen him naked. And he looked good. He looked good with clothes on too. But even better naked.

"Yeah, um, I'm Meredith Gray. This is my first year here."

She sat down awkwardly and a few people laughed.

Derek smiled warmly at her. "Well, hello Meredith Gray. It's nice to meet you."

She stared at her hands. "Yeah, you too."

"What the actual hell was that?" Alex asked biting into the world's greasiest pizza slice.

"I don't know what you mean." Meredith shot back.

Christiana and Callie found them and sat down on opposites sides of the table.

"How'd class go?" Callie asked.

"Why don't you ask weirdo how it went."

Christina took a bit into her sandwhich. "Fine, I'll bite despite my better judgement. How'd it go Meredith?"

"Fine. Fine. It was fine."

Callie and Christina exchanged looks with Alex and he laughed. "That's not the only thing she thought was fine."

"Shut up." Meredith hissed at him and kicked him under the table. Alex laughed more.

"Awww. Do you have a case of hot for teacher?" Christina asked gleefully. Meredith groaned and felt her face turn the color of the nearest exit sign.

"She totally does. She was all googly eyed from the minute he walked in. She wouldn't even look at the dude. And then she got all awkward when she just had to say her own name."

"Thanks for declaring my business assface." Meredith mumbled.

"Anytime."

Callie smiled at Meredith. "It's okay, really. It's not the first time someone's gotten love struck in his classes…."

Meredith sighed and knew she would regret what she was about to disclose. "It's not just that." She whispered quietly.

All three of her table mates stopped what they were doing.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I was wrong. I've met Derek Shepherd before."

"And?" Christina asked.

Meredith groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"I'm a slut."

"Come again?" Callie asked laughing.

"The reason I didn't realize I had met him is because the last time I met him we didn't exactly spend a lot of time talking."

Meredith could see the realization hit them all and Alex nearly choked on his coke.

"Newbie, you are a slut. Getting down and dirty with someone without even learning their name. I wouldn't have chalked you up as a slut. I'm impressed."

Meredith groaned.

"How is he in bed? He looks like he'd be good. He knew what he was doing, right?" Christina asked without missing a beat.

"Ew. I do not want to be here for this."

"He definitely knows what he's doing." Meredith said quietly.

"Okay, I'm done with my lunch now apparently."

"That crap will kill you anyway." Callie said rolling her eyes.

"So will hearing about Grey and Shepherd getting their freak on. I'm leaving. I'll see you guys at home."

"So how good are we talking here? Like, toe curling good or…."

Christina stopped dead in her tracks and looked down at her phone immediately.

Meredith turned around and her eyes got huge. Professor Shepherd was walking directly towards their table.

He stopped and cleared his throat. "Hello, ladies."

"Professor." Callie offered weakly.

"Do you mind if I steal Meredith for a second?"

They both shook their head and Meredith glared at them.

She followed him through the cafeteria and into a small office. He closed and locked the door behind them.


	2. Hello, is it me you're looking for?

"Look, Professor, I don't know what we're doing here but I'm not this kind of girl…."

Derek smiled and leaned against a desk. The office was small—it felt more like a janitor's closet. Meredith noticed this because there wasn't much space between them and, if she wanted to, she could reach out and touch him. Why that particular thought went through her head, she had no idea.

"Meredith"

"I'm not. Look, you're good looking and everything…"

"So you think I'm good looking?" He quipped. Meredith tried to hide her smile but she could feel her cheeks flush despite her best intentions.

Of course she thought he was good looking. Anyone with two functioning eyeballs would think he was good looking.

He had a blue & white pin stripped button down on. It was long sleeves but rolled at up to his elbows. Black dress pants, black dress shoes. The blue in his shirt brought out the blue in his eyes. His pants were well fighting. Not so tight that it seemed like he was trying too hard but tight enough.

"Meredith?"

"Hmm?"

"You didn't answer my question. You think I'm good looking?"

She shook her head and bit her lip, trying to keep herself from laughing. "That's not the point."

"Okay, what is the point? Or maybe you want to wait and tell me that over dinner tomorrow?"

"That's my point. I'm not going to go out with you again."

"Why not?"

"Because. I've worked really hard to get here. And if I do well I don't want anyone to say that it's because I'm sleeping with you."

Derek studied her. Meredith was sultry; she was seductive without trying. Her hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun. She had jeans and a sweatshirt on that was too big for her. But she was attractive. There was something electric about her. Even though Derek knew she was right and they should leave it where it was, leave it alone, he couldn't help himself.

He stepped forward, making the space between them even smaller.

Meredith was leaning against the wall propping herself up with one foot. Derek grinned at her and leaned forward putting his hands on either side of her.

"Just one date."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to sleep with…"

"You know, you keep saying you don't want to sleep with your professor. But I haven't said anything about sleeping with me. I'm just asking for dinner."

Meredith raised an eyebrow in response. "Just dinner. Really? That's it?"

Derek grinned back at her "Well, maybe a drink or two. And, if the moods right, I could be talked into dessert."

Meredith laughed for the first time. She couldn't resist the way his eyes danced when they looked at her. "Okay. One date."

"Okay. I'll send you the address."

"Okay."

"Okay."

The stood there and stared at each other for minute, each one of them trying to decide what their next move was.

"You have to let me go now. You can't hold me hostage in this closet forever. How'd you find this place anyway? Is there where you bring all the girls?"

"All the girls? What are you implying?"

"Well, you do have a reputation of being Professor McDreamboat—or whatever."

"I think it's Dreamy. And trust me; I haven't brought any other girls here before. And you can call me Derek. I was just Derek, in the bar remember?"

Meredith felt her face flush again. She cleared her throat and looked up at him from behind her bangs. "Well, to be fair, we never exactly got around to exchanging names."

"We didn't?"

"Uh uh."

"Hmm. We must've had more important things to talk about."

Meredith laughed again and Derek relished in the sound of it. It was so genuine. He could tell she didn't offer it up easily but when she did she meant it. He had a feeling that was true of Meredith in most aspects of her life.

"I have to go Derek."

"You don't _have_ to."

"I do. I have classes. You know, the reason why I came here in the first place. To get an education."

Derek smiled at her one more time and moved out of her way.

"I'll see you tomorrow Meredith."

She turned and smiled at him one more time, despite her better judgement.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have you ever done something even though you're 1000% sure it's a bad idea?" Meredith asked flopping herself onto her bed.

"Only in every relationship I've ever had." Callie sighed while taking a bite into her apple.

"Amen."

They all erupted in laughter and Meredith couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the women on either side of her. She knew how rare it was to meet people that you connected with so instantaneously. She sighed heavily and sat up.

"But seriously you guys. This is a mistake? I mean, I know that we're obviously both of age so it's not like…illegal. But…he's my professor. It just all feels a little "Dateline"esque. Hot professor seduces young college student…"

"Wait, didn't you pick him up first though?" Cristina asked.

"Yeah, but that was before."

Cristina shrugged. "Look, Meredith, we don't know each other that well but you should probably know I'm the wrong person to ask. I've slept with professors before. And not one's that looked like Derek Shepherd."

"Yeah, I haven't done all that…but I'm probably not a good source either."

"What use are you guys then anyway?" Meredith quipped.

"Well, there is that whole issue of me letting you live in my house and not on the street or with some pervy freshman dude."

"Valid. Point taken."

"But seriously, Meredith, don't overthink it. Go with what your guts telling you. If you want to go on a hot date with McDreamy than go. If you think it's a bad decision than don't. Either way, the sky is not going to fall. The earth isn't going to swallow you up. It's just one date for God's sake. He's not asking for your hand in marriage."

Meredith sighed. "Well, now I have an entirely different problem."

"What's that?"

"I have nothing to wear on a date. I kind of dress like a 18 year old dude most of the time."

"I can't help you there, Grey."

Callie sat up and grabbed Meredith's hand.

"I can. Let's go. Derek Shepherd won't know what hit him when I'm done with you."

Meredith shot a nervous look to Cristina and mouthed the words "Help me." Cristina laughed as Callie dragged her out of the room.

"Get your ass in the shower Grey. We have work to do."


	3. Dream a little Dream

"So, explain to me again how you met this girl?" Derek's roommate, Owen asked him.

Derek and Owen met their freshman year of college and had been inseparable since. Owen worked in the athletics department and had done a couple tours of duty since they had known each other. He tended to keep Derek grounded.

"At the bar. Remember? The girl from a couple weeks ago."

"The girl with the cheetah print shoes?"

"Uh huh."

Owen smiled. His carefree friend had been pretty smitten for this girl and had stupidly let her sneak out in the morning before asking for a number, or a name, for that matter. Derek wasn't usually a one night stand kind of guy. In fact, Owen couldn't think of a time that Derek hadn't been in a long term relationship.

Then again, this girl was the first that Derek had been with since Addison. Owen had been his best man. Had seen the rise of their romance in college and fall of it when Derek found Addison in bed with a mutual friend of theirs.

"So how long should I plan to be missing in action tonight? Is she staying over or…?"

"No. No, I don't think so."

Owen smiled and raised an eyebrow. "You don't think so. Wow, this girl really has you doubting your moves there, huh Shepherd?"

Derek laughed and smacked him with the newspaper. "Shut up, Owen. Don't you have some meatheads to bark orders at until they puke?"

"Just trying to keep you humble there hot shot. Someone's gotta do it."

"Thanks for being so willing and able to taken on the role."

"Anytime my friend. Anytime. Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Just be careful. I don't think I'm ready to see any little shepherds running around this apartment."

Derek laughed and threw his paper at Owen as he walked out the door.

"Ass."

"How do I look?" Meredith asked walking down the stairs. She had a black v-neck dress shirt on a black pencil skirt that fit her in all the right places. Meredith never considered herself to be a curvy person but the ensemble gave off the illusion that she was. She had black strappy sandals and a perfume she couldn't identify.

Callie had curled her hair in loose cascading curls. Her eyes was lined and she had some kind of lip gloss that tasted like strawberry, or raspberry, or something like that. It wasn't her, but she could get used to it for one night.

Callie followed her looking absolutely exuberant. Cristina and Alex looked up from the living room at the same time.

"Damn, Grey."

"I'd hit that."

Meredith rolled her eyes and Callie clapped her hands excitedly. "See! See I told you that you were hot. Stone cold fox."

"Stone cold fox? Who says that anymore? How old are you Callie?" Cristina asked putting her book down.

"I do. Now leave me alone and bask in what a stone cold fox Meredith is."

Meredith groaned and tried to hide her face in her hands. "This was a bad idea. This is a mistake. I'm going back upstairs and changing into a pair of sweatpants."

"No. You're not allowed to back out now. Not after all my hard work."

There was a honk from in front of the house and Meredith shot Cristina a look that screamed. "Please help me."

Cristina shook her head "Just go. Go have hot hot McSex and tell us about it tomorrow."

Meredith laughed and walked towards the door, stopping to yell on her way out "I hate all of you!"

"No you don't." She heard back in unison.

"You look amazing."

Meredith smiled. "Yeah, you mentioned that once or twice already."

Derek grinned at her, admiring the view from the driver's seat. "Well I mean it. Who dressed you up?"

"What, you don't think I'm capable of doing this on my own?"

"No, you just don't strike me as someone who goes all out for a first date."

Meredith sighed. "Fine. Callie. It was Callie."

"Well, I think you look great no matter what you wear."

Meredith could feel her face flush and she looked out the window. "Where are we going anyway?"

"It's a surprise."

"This seems like a bad idea. Being in a car with a man who I barely know that isn't willing to tell me where he's taking me for dinner. How do I know you aren't a psychopath or something?"

"How do I know you aren't one?"

Meredith turned and smiled at him. Even without trying, Derek looked good. She had a feeling that even in a pair of sweat pants and a ratty old t-shirt he would look good. She wasn't sure where it came from but she had the overwhelming desire to see that side of him for herself.

Tonight, he had a red sweater and a dark pair of jeans on. His hair was slicked back and still wet; like he had just gotten out of the shower. She couldn't help but wonder what he looked like then either.

"I guess we'll just have to trust either other."

Derek smirked at her. "Yeah, I guess we will."

"This doesn't look like a restaurant."

"I never said we were going to a restaurant did I? I only said I would take you to dinner. And I kept my word. So you can't go home and tell your friends I'm a psychopath."

"Well, I could. The night is young."

Derek shot her a look and Meredith broke out into peals of laughter. Derek couldn't but help smile as he dished out the pasta and pulled out the salad from his fridge. When he looked over at the woman sitting at his dining room table he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of nervousness overcome him.

 _Pull it together, Shepherd._

He brought the food over and pour them both a glass of wine.

"So, tell me about yourself Meredith Gray."

Meredith raised an eyebrow at him as she bite into her pasta. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything. Tell me about your family."

Meredith sighed. "That's a loaded question. My parents split when I was little. My mom was…is…a surgeon and got an offer she didn't want to pass up in Boston. At first my parents tried to make it work long distance but I think their marriage was probably over a long time before that."

Derek studied her face. Even though she offered up the information without flinching he could tell it was painful for her. A part of him regretted asking the question.

"I'm sorry." He reached across the table and squeezed her hand lightly.

Meredith felt her stomach flip just at the small sign of affection _. Pull it together, Grey._

"It's okay. You didn't know. And it's fine now. I mean, it's not but it is. It was bad for a while. My dad, he fell apart. He tried to be so strong but he was never the strong one in our family. My mom was. My mom always was. So there were a lot of years that were really hard. We didn't have the best relationship."

"Is it better now?"

"No, not really. It's better in the sense that I don't blame him anymore. I don't hate him. I know that he loved my mom and he did the best he could. He just had no idea what to do with an angst ridden teenage girl. But then again, I don't think most people do."

They both laughed and Meredith looked at the view from his kitchen window. Seattle was gorgeous at night.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Hmm? Sorry…"

"It's okay. Siblings. Do you have any?"

"Oh. No, well, yes. Kind of."

Derek laughed putting his wine glass down. "I didn't realize it was that complicated of a question. Sorry."

Meredith shot him a look and laughed a little too. "It's just that for such a long time I grew up as an only child. But my mom remarried. She had two daughters; Lexie and Maggie. I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with my mom. I don't really want to. But I've gotten to know them. I like them, as far as sisters go I guess."

Derek smiled at her from across the table. He was starting to understand why she was so determined to prove herself. She'd been having to prove herself her whole life.

"What about you? Do you have siblings?" Meredith asked seeming to come back to earth.

Derek nodded. "Sisters. Lots of them. Too many of them it felt like sometimes." Meredith laughed and he smiled warmly back at her.

He cleared his throat. "My dad died when I was young. So I grew up feeling like I had to protect them, you know? I was the man of the house and all that."

"That must've been hard."

"It was sometimes."

"Are you still close with them? You're sisters?"

Derek nodded, stabbing the last of his noodles to get them all on his fork. "Yeah, we are. I think somewhere along the line they've started to become more protective of me. Especially after…" Derek stopped in his tracks.

Meredith looked up at him. "After what?"

He swallowed and put his napkin down.

"Meredith, you should know something."

She felt her stomach drop to her feet. "Okay?"

Derek cleared his throat. "I was married. Once, before, not now. We're separated. It's over….were in the process of getting divorced if she'd ever sign the damn papers."

Meredith felt a wave of hesitancy and relief come over her all at once. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but definitely something worse than that.

"How recent is it?" Meredith asked.

"Pretty recent."

"Oh my God, were you married that night in the bar? I didn't see a wedding ring I swear but were you…"

"No! No, God no. It was around January of this year. We called it after Christmas."

Meredith felt another wave of relief consume her. For a split second she thought she might lose her dinner, especially because somewhere in their conversation Derek had poured her another glass of wine.

It was Meredith who reached her hand across the table this time. "I'm sorry." She whispered and he smiled at her.

His smile was genuine, and full of warmth.

Derek slid his hand out of hers and Meredith worried that she had made a wrong move. Was it insensitive to hold someone's hand who just told you he's getting a divorce? Did she seem too desperate?

While she was trying to process it she noticed Derek get up from the table and move towards the living room. Before she had a chance to apologize he was standing at the edge and smiled down at her. She could hear the first few notes of a song but couldn't place it right away.

"Come dance with me." He said holding out his hand.

Meredith hesitated at first. "I'm a terrible dancer."

"I bet you're a much better dancer than you give yourself credit for."

Meredith groaned but stood up, taking his hand, and smiling playfully. The voice of Mama Cass crooned to them as Derek dragged Meredith to his makeshift dancing floor. He pulled her close to him and Meredith's heart beat rapidly inside of her. He smelled so good.

 _Stars shining bright above you  
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"  
Birds singing in the sycamore trees  
Dream a little dream of me_

 _Say "nighty night" and kiss me  
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me  
While I'm alone and blue as can be  
Dream a little dream of me_

His hands were warm and steady. One was intertwined with hers and another was around her waist. She let her head rest somewhere between his chest and shoulder.

 _Stars fading but I linger on, dear  
Still craving your kiss  
I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear  
Just saying this_

Meredith looked up at him. He was studying her intently. His eyes danced and he leaned down, kissing her softly. Meredith knew she should pull away. Stop it. Not let it go too far. But she couldn't help it. He was warm, and sweet, and the way he was holding her was all that was keeping her steady at this point.

She kissed him back as the music played over them.

 _Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you  
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you  
But in your dreams, whatever they be  
Dream a little dream of me_

Derek pulled back and sang the words to the last song in her ear.

The music stopped and Meredith stayed there staring up at him for longer than she should've. Derek smiled at her.

"What?" He breathed.

She grabbed him by the hand. "Where's your bedroom?"

Derek raised an eyebrow at her. He guided her to the right door and leaned against the doorframe. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Meredith smiled and pulled him forward. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Derek grinned, closing the door behind them. "Well, okay then."


End file.
